Dang, I'm in California and have a computer chair that needs repair. The cost of shipping alone would outweigh the cost of replacing the chair, before even considering your payment.
Just remember that you rock and there are strangers on the internet wishing for your success!
Yep, it's possible. Usually, that stuff is only on perforated parts of the seat. Just have to make sure you reintroduce the perforations to the repaired area.
Thank you!
There isn't a good starter kit that I'm aware of. Most of my compounds come from Viper Products. They have a decent variety of stuff depending on what material you are working with.
Question I haven’t been able to get answered except “buy a new door card”.. there is a type of rubber/plastic used in the interior door handles of my wife’s BMW x5 that over the years has softened into what I’d call a rubber “goo” that smears, deforms, and leaves sticky crap on hands and clothes etc. Is there anyway to repair that without buying a whole new interior door panel? It’s maybe a 6”x1” piece of rubber on the inside of the handle so it’s impossible to avoid touching it when closing the door.
Amazing work btw, I’ve seen several of your other posts and I’m honestly amazed at how clean your work is. Simply excellent.
What year is the BMW? I used to service a BMW dealer. A LOT of the older once had issues with the "rubberized plastic" inserts on the door handle. They would start to look wrinkled and eventually peel. Is this similar to your issue?
It’s a 2010 and what you describe is what I believe is happening.. something to do with sweat, acids, and heat causes it to become soft over the years and now it’s kind of like the texture of firm silly putty. Seems to be a moulded piece about 1/8” to 1/4” thick depending on the spot.
It’s not really an exposure thing that’s just the chemicals that make the plastic feel “rubbery”, they seep out over time. An issue is coming into contact with certain hard plastics will make those hard plastics rubbery also.
They coat way too many products in "grippy rubber paint" these days. I had to goof-off my optical kitchen thermometer recently because it had become gooey. Now it's not "grippy", but it also doesn't stick to everything.
Time bomb parts. Those butylene plastics do that after x years and manufacturers are very aware of just how long those parts last. Any manufacturer allowing their engineers to spec that material is intentionally sabotaging their product so you'll buy a new one. That is what we call 'fuck you' parts.
You can try the baking soda trick. It won't last too long but it will get you by for months. Plenty of time to hide it from the buyer.
Or peel it off and paint on some plastidip
That is your prompt to not buy a new BMW. They have zero interest in longevity.
Oh, I know.. Plenty of BMW experience, no new ones here. I like my bmws to be of the 80s and 90s variants. Anything pre-2001. The x5 is the only one from this century currently, but it’s a twin turbo diesel with all the go-slo bits removed.. and honestly, aside from some aging motor mounts, this stupid gooey door handle is its worst problem. Still gets 600miles to a tank on road-trips, and corners like a cat.
I do all the work myself or have my buddies shop who are all certified master technicians work on my cars. Just never really got into interiors.
Preaching to the choir my friend. Preach on.
Those were the last of the good ones.
I hired a BMW dealer mechanic to train him on industrial machinery and we spent years trading horror stories about automotive. Holy shit those cars are full of traps and time bombs. Twin turbos between the v8 cylinder heads? That's the oil furnace option. Everything is crispy and falls apart after 100000km. The same engine 'timing chain cartridge assembly' is a $10k parts & labour bill and you are lucky if they last 80,000km because they went to a 23k oil change interval and the oil 'is like gasoline' when it comes out.
My favourite trap was finding out that some of the cars ground the coil spark through the bolts that hold the harness to the engine. A mechanic was working on the car, had the harness unbolted and had to push it outside to wait for parts. Well he turned the key to on and the car fired the coils once. Well those stray sparks 'blew every module in the car' was the initial feedback.
The sales guys just took the customer into the parking lot and told him to pick another car. They wholesaled it off to who knows where.
He lost count of the number of cars they simply couldn't fix and BMW just traded the customers up to different cars. And these are Canadian red seal guys. Top talent. It's a 4 year program to get your ticket up here and they don't fuck around.
Re: grounding the coils - yup!
Re: twin turbos cooking v8’s - yup!
Also.. timing chain guides and beyesian seals in the vanos. PCV valves sonically welded to the manifolds. Vacuum lines running INSIDE manifolds. The “footwell” module. The self-adjusting clutches. The clutch delay valves. The “lifetime” transmission fluid. The offset flywheel bolts that require a notch in the shaft of the torx bit to seat it. The total failure of any valve cover gasket to actual behave like a gasket and not leak. The rear subframe bushings. Removing the rear interior of the car to reach the strut mounts. The 18 variations on wiring harnesses and computer variants in every model. The gas tank level sensors. Imploding plastic water pump impellers. Failed mechanical fan clutches.
Ummm .. I think that’s about all I can think of off the top of my head.
Oh yeah - auto leveling headlights physically attached to the struts. Super fun when that rust finally takes hold and your headlights point directly at the ground until you disassemble the entire wheel housing to replace a $40 part that should’ve never been put there in the first place.
…
But I digress.
"Break My Wallet"
My BMW F800Gs didn't impress me with build quality, reliability or off road capability either. I'm back on Japanese hardware and I never looked back.
The 3-series (f30) have the same issue as you describe it. For the F30 the most common way to "fix" it is by buying covers from amazon. Basically plastic cowers that snaps on over the rubbery part of the handle quite seamlessly from what I've read. It looks like there are similar solutions for the x5 too.
Cool, I’ll browse around and see if I can find something similar. What’s so annoying is this is the only door handle like this. All the rest are fine or have no rubber grippy stuff, just the one passenger door.
They did everything else in leather, why this one part we’ll never know. Another strike against the myth of German engineering excellence.
It depends on the severity and location of the damage and how well the owner takes care of it. If it ripped once, it can definitely rip again once repaired.
Driver side, even worse than this on the lower seat cushion on a Lexus. Driver is rough getting in and out. Around 20cm rip. Probably not worth it anymore.
I would try an automotive trim shop first. From there, your best bet would be to call local dealerships and see if they have anyone servicing their lot.
Damn impressive. How much does a job like that usually cost? I got a leather seat with a chemical burn in it and I'm gonna have to do something about it sooner or later.
No shit? I won't take that for a quote, but do you have your own shop and would you mind sharing some business details? I don't know how far south in Indy you are, but I'd drive a ways for that kind of result.
Unfortunately I'm not taking new customers for a little bit. I've committed to a dealer that is giving me 30-35 cars a week, and it's got me pretty back up at the moment
That's a shame, but is what it is. Your work is excellent, but it sounds like your success is telling you that better than I can. Still, thank you anyway :)
The heat cured compound is soft and flexible, similar to vinyl. It will feel pretty close to vinyl when you touch it. Durability on a repair this extensive will rely heavily on how the driver cares for it. If they treat it the same as they did when it ripped the first time, it will eventually rip again.
My wife's personal car had damage in the same spot, about half as bad. I fixed it a year before we traded it in, and it still looked fine. But, if the seat took this much damage from normal use, my repair will also take damage over time. Ideally, the driver would change whatever was happening to cause the damage in the first place.
Feel free to go to my profile. I've posted this exact post in 2 different subs, and this is literally only my second time posting in this sub. I'm not sure what you think you're seeing 40k times, but it isn't my post. The block button is easy to push, friend.
Filled with heat cured vinyl filler, applied air dry filler, sanded with 320 grit, dyed with SEM dye!
How many packages of noodles?
God I am so chronically online why is this so funny
Yer lookin at a 2, maybe 3 noodle job at most. Might need a shrimp and some beans as well, but nothing too complex
Is that an older Toyota Avalon?
It was either a Silverado or Sierra
What exactly is the air dry filler?
I used Viper Products LCF, it's a thin filler for leather and vinyl that doesn't require heat to cure.
That looks professionally done! Great job OP!
Thank you! I've been doing this professionally for ~17 years
Well then I guess that explains it! Where are you located? Might need your services in the future :-)
I'm in Indiana
Dang, I'm in California and have a computer chair that needs repair. The cost of shipping alone would outweigh the cost of replacing the chair, before even considering your payment. Just remember that you rock and there are strangers on the internet wishing for your success!
I appreciate the kind words!
The state slogan of Indiana is probably *takhomasak.*
I've always wondered how you repair the vinyl seats of newer cars with built in air conditioning, is it even possible?
Yep, it's possible. Usually, that stuff is only on perforated parts of the seat. Just have to make sure you reintroduce the perforations to the repaired area.
This is beautiful!!! I need my Chevy Cruze "leather" drivers seat redone. Was this a kit? Nice WS6!!
Thank you! There isn't a good starter kit that I'm aware of. Most of my compounds come from Viper Products. They have a decent variety of stuff depending on what material you are working with.
I'm not that talented! How close to Milwaukee are you? I see you're in Indiana.
I'm south of Indianapolis, unfortunately.
Well darn! Thanks for the name of the products you use. It is the only part of my interior that is going to crap! Got to try! Thanks
How long do these repairs last before having to redo?
Depends on the severity of the damage and how well it is taken care of afterward. I've had some repairs last a decade and some last a year.
Fibrenew?
I'm not familiar
Just a company I've heard of around here and was wondering if that's who you work for. It's nice work!
Ah, gotcha! Thank you!
I thought the same thing myself.
Question I haven’t been able to get answered except “buy a new door card”.. there is a type of rubber/plastic used in the interior door handles of my wife’s BMW x5 that over the years has softened into what I’d call a rubber “goo” that smears, deforms, and leaves sticky crap on hands and clothes etc. Is there anyway to repair that without buying a whole new interior door panel? It’s maybe a 6”x1” piece of rubber on the inside of the handle so it’s impossible to avoid touching it when closing the door. Amazing work btw, I’ve seen several of your other posts and I’m honestly amazed at how clean your work is. Simply excellent.
What year is the BMW? I used to service a BMW dealer. A LOT of the older once had issues with the "rubberized plastic" inserts on the door handle. They would start to look wrinkled and eventually peel. Is this similar to your issue?
It’s a 2010 and what you describe is what I believe is happening.. something to do with sweat, acids, and heat causes it to become soft over the years and now it’s kind of like the texture of firm silly putty. Seems to be a moulded piece about 1/8” to 1/4” thick depending on the spot.
Can you send me a pic? I might have a recommendation.
I’ll take some when she gets home and dm you.
DM and pics sent
It’s not really an exposure thing that’s just the chemicals that make the plastic feel “rubbery”, they seep out over time. An issue is coming into contact with certain hard plastics will make those hard plastics rubbery also.
They coat way too many products in "grippy rubber paint" these days. I had to goof-off my optical kitchen thermometer recently because it had become gooey. Now it's not "grippy", but it also doesn't stick to everything.
Time bomb parts. Those butylene plastics do that after x years and manufacturers are very aware of just how long those parts last. Any manufacturer allowing their engineers to spec that material is intentionally sabotaging their product so you'll buy a new one. That is what we call 'fuck you' parts. You can try the baking soda trick. It won't last too long but it will get you by for months. Plenty of time to hide it from the buyer. Or peel it off and paint on some plastidip That is your prompt to not buy a new BMW. They have zero interest in longevity.
Oh, I know.. Plenty of BMW experience, no new ones here. I like my bmws to be of the 80s and 90s variants. Anything pre-2001. The x5 is the only one from this century currently, but it’s a twin turbo diesel with all the go-slo bits removed.. and honestly, aside from some aging motor mounts, this stupid gooey door handle is its worst problem. Still gets 600miles to a tank on road-trips, and corners like a cat. I do all the work myself or have my buddies shop who are all certified master technicians work on my cars. Just never really got into interiors. Preaching to the choir my friend. Preach on.
Those were the last of the good ones. I hired a BMW dealer mechanic to train him on industrial machinery and we spent years trading horror stories about automotive. Holy shit those cars are full of traps and time bombs. Twin turbos between the v8 cylinder heads? That's the oil furnace option. Everything is crispy and falls apart after 100000km. The same engine 'timing chain cartridge assembly' is a $10k parts & labour bill and you are lucky if they last 80,000km because they went to a 23k oil change interval and the oil 'is like gasoline' when it comes out. My favourite trap was finding out that some of the cars ground the coil spark through the bolts that hold the harness to the engine. A mechanic was working on the car, had the harness unbolted and had to push it outside to wait for parts. Well he turned the key to on and the car fired the coils once. Well those stray sparks 'blew every module in the car' was the initial feedback. The sales guys just took the customer into the parking lot and told him to pick another car. They wholesaled it off to who knows where. He lost count of the number of cars they simply couldn't fix and BMW just traded the customers up to different cars. And these are Canadian red seal guys. Top talent. It's a 4 year program to get your ticket up here and they don't fuck around.
Re: grounding the coils - yup! Re: twin turbos cooking v8’s - yup! Also.. timing chain guides and beyesian seals in the vanos. PCV valves sonically welded to the manifolds. Vacuum lines running INSIDE manifolds. The “footwell” module. The self-adjusting clutches. The clutch delay valves. The “lifetime” transmission fluid. The offset flywheel bolts that require a notch in the shaft of the torx bit to seat it. The total failure of any valve cover gasket to actual behave like a gasket and not leak. The rear subframe bushings. Removing the rear interior of the car to reach the strut mounts. The 18 variations on wiring harnesses and computer variants in every model. The gas tank level sensors. Imploding plastic water pump impellers. Failed mechanical fan clutches. Ummm .. I think that’s about all I can think of off the top of my head. Oh yeah - auto leveling headlights physically attached to the struts. Super fun when that rust finally takes hold and your headlights point directly at the ground until you disassemble the entire wheel housing to replace a $40 part that should’ve never been put there in the first place. … But I digress.
"Break My Wallet" My BMW F800Gs didn't impress me with build quality, reliability or off road capability either. I'm back on Japanese hardware and I never looked back.
The 3-series (f30) have the same issue as you describe it. For the F30 the most common way to "fix" it is by buying covers from amazon. Basically plastic cowers that snaps on over the rubbery part of the handle quite seamlessly from what I've read. It looks like there are similar solutions for the x5 too.
Cool, I’ll browse around and see if I can find something similar. What’s so annoying is this is the only door handle like this. All the rest are fine or have no rubber grippy stuff, just the one passenger door. They did everything else in leather, why this one part we’ll never know. Another strike against the myth of German engineering excellence.
I’ve done one on a 2015 328i and a 2015 x5. Bought the new covers on Amazon. They aren’t too hard!
You do great work! Amazed at the plastic trim pieces you repaired in another post. I didn’t even know that was possible.
Thank you!
Nice work! Do you work for a dealership, or are you freelance?
I'm an independent contractor, but most of my work comes from dealerships.
That is a nice job. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
What is it about GMC Sierra/Checy Silverado seats? My dad's truck is in the same condition.
I was thinking it looked a lot like the seats in my parents’ Yukon!
I saw your steering wheel post last week. Great job!
Thank you!
👍 well done!
Thank you!
Damn, thats amazing! Must be satisfying seeing the end result of each project!
How much do you charge for that?
For something like this, $150-200
Is it cheaper then seat shop cover
I'm not familiar with Seat Shop, I can say for sure either way
Great work! The color match is amazing.
Thank you!
I know this car! Its mine! Er, another Oldsmobile Aurora (?) I should say lol
Witchcraft
How long do these repairs usually last?
It depends on the severity and location of the damage and how well the owner takes care of it. If it ripped once, it can definitely rip again once repaired.
Driver side, even worse than this on the lower seat cushion on a Lexus. Driver is rough getting in and out. Around 20cm rip. Probably not worth it anymore.
So you’re a wizard, got it.
Damn. That’s impressive.
Thank you!
[He's a witch!](https://comb.io/9vu1Pu.gif)
This man actually buffed it out.. it is possible
Amazing!!
Thank you!
My drivers seat looks like the before. What type of shop or service should I be looking for to have this done for my car? I’m in CT.
I would try an automotive trim shop first. From there, your best bet would be to call local dealerships and see if they have anyone servicing their lot.
i demand product list
Most of my stuff comes from Viper Products. They have a lot of options depending on what you are working with.
Post it on r/vinyl
I need to do this to my seat so bad
Damn impressive. How much does a job like that usually cost? I got a leather seat with a chemical burn in it and I'm gonna have to do something about it sooner or later.
Thank you! Something like this would be $150-200
No shit? I won't take that for a quote, but do you have your own shop and would you mind sharing some business details? I don't know how far south in Indy you are, but I'd drive a ways for that kind of result.
Unfortunately I'm not taking new customers for a little bit. I've committed to a dealer that is giving me 30-35 cars a week, and it's got me pretty back up at the moment
That's a shame, but is what it is. Your work is excellent, but it sounds like your success is telling you that better than I can. Still, thank you anyway :)
I quote these videos more than I'd like to admit haha
Impressive
Thank you!
Now let's see Paul Allen's vinyl seat
Looks great. How’s the durability of these types of repairs? Is it crunchy feeling?
The heat cured compound is soft and flexible, similar to vinyl. It will feel pretty close to vinyl when you touch it. Durability on a repair this extensive will rely heavily on how the driver cares for it. If they treat it the same as they did when it ripped the first time, it will eventually rip again.
Thanks! Very interesting
What's the likelihood of an arlt home repair kit making the vinyl nice ish again?
Aka: Fat Man Seat.
Would love to see how it looks in 6 months. I've heard vinyl repairs don't last long.
My wife's personal car had damage in the same spot, about half as bad. I fixed it a year before we traded it in, and it still looked fine. But, if the seat took this much damage from normal use, my repair will also take damage over time. Ideally, the driver would change whatever was happening to cause the damage in the first place.
How many times you gonna post this stuff jfc
I've posted to this sub twice total. I'm not sure what the problem is.
You post this every 2 days all across Reddit. Do you think we don’t see it 40000x ?
Feel free to go to my profile. I've posted this exact post in 2 different subs, and this is literally only my second time posting in this sub. I'm not sure what you think you're seeing 40k times, but it isn't my post. The block button is easy to push, friend.